How to create banner messages in Linux quickly?

The banner message refers to the text that is displayed when a user logs into the system. This message is typically displayed before the login prompt and can be used to convey important information or notices to users.

MOTD (Message of the Day): The MOTD is a dynamic message that is displayed to users after they log in. It is often used to provide system information, updates, news, or any other relevant information to users. The MOTD is usually stored in the /etc/motd file or generated dynamically from scripts in the /etc/update-motd.d/ directory.

How to generate a banner message?

Figlet is a program that generates text banners in various typefaces, composed of letters made up of conglomerations of smaller ASCII characters. It is often used to create stylized text art in the command-line interface. Figlet allows users to create large letters out of ordinary text, which can be used for various purposes such as creating banners, signs, and decorative text for a wide range of applications.

In many Linux distributions, Figlet is available as a command-line tool and can be installed using package managers such as apt, yum, or dnf. It is a fun and creative way to generate text-based art for use in various applications, including greeting cards, posters, and other text-based designs.

Download figlet RPM:

[root@centos9 ~]# wget https://rpmfind.net/linux/epel/9/Everything/x86_64/Packages/f/figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rpm
--2023-11-04 05:41:43--  https://rpmfind.net/linux/epel/9/Everything/x86_64/Packages/f/figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rpm
Resolving rpmfind.net (rpmfind.net)... 195.220.108.108
Connecting to rpmfind.net (rpmfind.net)|195.220.108.108|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 127484 (124K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: ‘figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rpm.1’

figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rp 100%[=====================================================================>] 124.50K   215KB/s    in 0.6s

2023-11-04 05:41:45 (215 KB/s) - ‘figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rpm.1’ saved [127484/127484]

[root@centos9 ~]#

Install figlet using the downloaded RPM

Install the downloaded figlet RPM using dnf command. It doesn’t require any dependencies.

[root@centos9 ~]# dnf install figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64.rpm
Dependencies resolved.
==========================================================================
 Package   Architecture    Version        Repository       Size
===========================================================================
Installing:
 figlet   x86_64    2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9  @commandline  124 k
Transaction Summary
============================================================================
Install  1 Package
Total size: 124 k
Installed size: 665 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
  Preparing        :                                                    1/1
  Installing       : figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64      1/1
  Running scriptlet: figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64      1/1
  Verifying        : figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64      1/1
Installed:
  figlet-2.2.5-23.20151018gita565ae1.el9.x86_64
Complete!
[root@centos9 ~]#

Try figlet to generate a banner message:

figlet can help you generate the required banner message quickly. Let’s set the welcome message on /etc/motd using figlet output.

Example: ” Welcome to UnixArena

1. Generate the welcome message using the figlet.

2. update the /etc/motd using the generated ASCII characters.

3. Take a new session and test it.

System administrators can customize both the issue banner message and the MOTD to provide relevant information or warnings to users. It’s important to use these messages responsibly and avoid displaying unnecessary or misleading information to users. Always ensure that the information provided in these messages complies with legal requirements and organizational policies. figlet is a useful tool for generating such important messages using ASCII characters.